WBB: Game #31 WNIT Tournament-1st Round vs Northern Iowa

[Row6Seat10]

                 

 

 

Thursday, March 17, 7 p.m.

Pinnacle Bank Arena
 

 

Social Media: @HuskersWBB Nebraska Women's Basketball Instagram

Radio: Husker Sports Network (Pre-game 6:45 p.m.) (Matt Coatney, Jeff Griesch)

Thursday's Stations

• KRNU 90.3 FM, UNL
• KBBK 107.3 FM, Lincoln
• KXSP 590 AM, Omaha
• KBRB 1400 AM, Ainsworth
• KHUB 1340 AM, Fremont
• KRGI 1430 AM, Grand Island
• KHAS 1230 AM, Hastings
• KLIQ 94.5 FM, Hastings
• KRVN 106.9 FM, Kearney
• KRVN 880 AM, Lexington
• KHAQ 98.5 FM, North Platte
• KNEB 960 AM, Scottsbluff
• KSID 1340 AM, Sidney

Free Live Audio: Huskers.com
Premium Video: BTN Plus (Subscription Required) (HSN Audio)

 

                      

 

                                                 Huskers Open WNIT at Home with Northern Iowa

 

The Nebraska women’s basketball team opens the 2016 Postseason WNIT by taking on Northern Iowa on Thursday at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Tip-off between the Huskers and the Panthers is set for 7 p.m.

 

The Huskers were one of six Big Ten teams to earn spots in the WNIT and one of 11 conference teams to earn postseason bids. Nebraska is making its fifth consecutive postseason tournament appearance and 12th in the past 13 seasons. The Big Red will be making its sixth appearance in the Postseason WNIT and fifth under Coach Connie Yori. It is Nebraska’s 19th postseason appearance in school history.

 

Jessica Shepard leads the Huskers with 19.0 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. She was limited by a stress reaction in her foot in Nebraska’s 66-63 Big Ten Tournament loss to Rutgers.

 

Natalie Romeo led the Big Red with 23 points including 7-of-10 three-point shooting against Rutgers. She owns a school-record 100 threes this season. Romeo notched the second triple-double in school history in her last appearance at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

 

Northern Iowa earned an automatic bid into the WNIT after suffering a 71-58 loss to Missouri State in the MVC Championship Game in Moline, Ill., on Sunday, March 13. The loss snapped a 10-game winning streak for the Panthers that dated back to a 78-75 overtime loss to the Lady Bears on Feb. 5.

 

Northern Iowa finished the regular season with a 22-10 overall record that included a 15-3 conference mark. UNI went 5-5 in regular-season non-conference play with losses to Iowa, Iowa State, Creighton, South Dakota State and Seton Hall. The Panthers notched wins over South Dakota, Georgia Tech, Tulsa, Akron and Rockhurst.

 

Tanya Warren, who was a college teammate of Nebraska Coach Connie Yori at Creighton, is a two-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year in her nine seasons at Northern Iowa. Warren has led the Panthers to two regular-season conference titles and two tournament crowns. She also has guided UNI to six postseason tournament appearances, including the first two NCAA Tournament trips in school history with back-to-back bids in 2010 and 2011.

 

In the first trip to the Big Dance, Warren’s Panthers faced Yori’s top-seeded Huskers in the NCAA first round at Minneapolis. Nebraska prevailed 83-44.

 

As a team, UNI is averaging just 64.1 points per game, but has surrendered just 57.3 points per contest. The Panthers are 18-2 this season when holding their opposition to 60 points or less. Northern Iowa has been strapped with a minus-3.4 team rebound margin, but owns a plus-3.2 team turnover margin. UNI commits just 11.3 turnovers and just 15.4 fouls per game.

 

Nebraska leads the all-time series with UNI 6-0.

 

_____________________________________________

Probable Starters:

 

Nebraska Cornhuskers 

32 - Jessica Shepard - 6-4 - Fr. - F - 19.0 ppg, 8.6 rpg
22 - Allie Havers - 6-5 - Jr. - C - 8.2
5 - Natalie Romeo - 5-7 - So. - G - 15.8
11 - Esther Ramacieri - 5-8 - Jr. - G - 0.8
34 - Jasmine Cincore - 5-10 - So. - G - 4.1
 

Northern Iowa Panthers 
 

5 - Amber Sorenson - 6-2 - Sr. - F - 12.8 ppg
42 - Jen Keitel - 6-3 - Sr. - F - 10.2
2 - Madison Weekly - 5-7 - Jr. - G - 17.9
13 - Sharnae Lamar - 5-2 - Sr. - G - 5.0
14 - Stephanie Davison - 5-10 - Sr. - G 7.2

______________________________________________

 

• Nebraska is making its sixth all-time appearance in the Postseason WNIT.

• Nebraska has earned its 19th all-time postseason tournament appearance.

• Nebraska finished with a 9-9 Big Ten record to mark the fifth consecutive season the Huskers have posted a .500 or better Big Ten record.

• Nebraska has sent eight different starting lineups onto the floor this season.. No Husker has started all 30 regular-season games for Nebraska in 2015-16.

• Nebraska has hit at least two three-pointers in 129 consecutive games.

• The Huskers are 4-4 in the WNIT under Coach Connie Yori.

• Natalie Romeo has started 29 consecutive games for the Huskers, the longest active streak among Nebraska players.

• Natalie Romeo owns a school-record 100 three-pointers this season.
• Natalie Romeo hit a Nebraska record eight three-pointers in a game twice this season.

• Jessica Shepard needs 31 points to become just the 11th player in Nebraska history to score 600 points in a season.

• Jessica Shepard needs 20 rebounds to catch Kathy Hagerstrom (277, 1979-80) in the top spot on Nebraska’s freshman rebound list.

 

GAME NOTES:

                                                     BEAT NORTHERN IOWA!

 

                            

 

 

 

[Row6Seat10]

Disappointed in the outcome but got to commend these kids for the effort they gave tonight. Especially Natalie Romeo! This would have looked really ugly had she not been on the court! The lack of experience on the court at times caused the offense to become stagnant with not much ball movement and a lot of dribbling around outside the three point arc. We’d be talking a second round matchup had we hit better than 55% from the free throw line.  

 

 

Here’s my question and I wished someone would have asked the coach about it in the press conference....Your running three hurt players in and out of the game on the interior Rachel B has a hard time just jogging out there, Jess’s foot was obviously bothering her and Anya’s nursing a bum ankle, but yet one healthy post player in Darrian Washington never got off the bench. What’s up with that?

[Row6Seat10]

FYI - The Huskers end this year with the post season WNIT and start next season as the B1G representative in the Pre-Season WNIT. The Huskers first round match-up will most likely be named next June.

[SliceOfLife]

Good post game press conference, love seeing Nat's passion for the game! Wish it could've ended differently tonight!

[Row6Seat10]

2,042 were the final attendance figures. Thought for sure more than that would have shown up.

[Cazzie22]

Sad ending to the season.  Team needs some players to get healthy and others to develop.  One of the incoming guards has got to take over at the point (though we've been spoiled by Moore and Theriot the past several seasons!)  Romeo needs to work off the ball and someone needs to get the ball to Jess where she can score.  We have much to look forward to for next season but the rest of the B1G is going to be tough as well.

[Fastbreaker]

2,042 were the final attendance figures. Thought for sure more than that would have shown up.

Attendance was 2942.  Still not good, but considering short notice, St Patrick's Day and Men's NCAA's starting not to bad.

[huskerchode]

Disappointed in the outcome but got to commend these kids for the effort they gave tonight. Especially Natalie Romeo! This would have looked really ugly had she not been on the court! The lack of experience on the court at times caused the offense to become stagnant with not much ball movement and a lot of dribbling around outside the three point arc. We’d be talking a second round matchup had we hit better than 55% from the free throw line.  

 

 

Here’s my question and I wished someone would have asked the coach about it in the press conference....Your running three hurt players in and out of the game on the interior Rachel B has a hard time just jogging out there, Jess’s foot was obviously bothering her and Anya’s nursing a bum ankle, but yet one healthy post player in Darrian Washington never got off the bench. What’s up with that?

Does Washington stay or transfer?  I was really hoping she would get some good minutes last night, and she didn't get a single second.  IMO, the writing is on the wall.

 

BTW, any word on Esther's injury?

[whoopdeedoo]

haven't come across anything on ER's injury. 

 

regarding burns. earlier there seemed to be quite a bit of discussion about her injuring a knee. matt coatney had mentioned a few times about her "knee injury". plus, there has been mention of it on the board. she also suffered a foot injury in one of the big ten games (can't remember which one it was). word came out she would be having a "postseason procedure" done. now, is this related to the knee injury or the foot injury? i was always under the assumption it was knee related? 

 

not sure why jess even played? albeit, not very long. 

 

the washington thing is puzzling. don't get it. obviously, something isn't right.

[Bugeaters1]

 

Disappointed in the outcome but got to commend these kids for the effort they gave tonight. Especially Natalie Romeo! This would have looked really ugly had she not been on the court! The lack of experience on the court at times caused the offense to become stagnant with not much ball movement and a lot of dribbling around outside the three point arc. We’d be talking a second round matchup had we hit better than 55% from the free throw line.  

 

 

Here’s my question and I wished someone would have asked the coach about it in the press conference....Your running three hurt players in and out of the game on the interior Rachel B has a hard time just jogging out there, Jess’s foot was obviously bothering her and Anya’s nursing a bum ankle, but yet one healthy post player in Darrian Washington never got off the bench. What’s up with that?

Does Washington stay or transfer?  I was really hoping she would get some good minutes last night, and she didn't get a single second.  IMO, the writing is on the wall.

 

BTW, any word on Esther's injury?

 

It was a cramp, as soon as she got the bench they gave her liquid and a massage of the lower leg. also while on the court the trainer had her leg up and stretching the calf muscle.

[Bugeaters1]

http://www.huskers.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?id=5176108

[Bugeaters1]

http://www.huskers.com/mediaPortal/player.dbml?id=5176110

[dlrrk]

It will be interesting how things move forward.  As you know, that was a very disappointing loss.  They were 12/40 in 3s.  They got hot and made some clutch 3s when they had to... 

 

Rachel was in a lot of pain.  She said it was the most pain she ever played with (and she's played with pain for a long time).  From my "homer" perspective she showed a lot of guts to play through that much pain.  I saw her moving up and down the court pretty well. 

 

She's coming home for the break and will be getting worked on very soon.  We're very optimistic about getting the knees pain free.  We'll see.  I'll let you know. 

 

Don't know why Washington didn't play.  Rachel said Washington was the best post player in recent practices.  Maybe there is something else going on. 

 

I was surprised at the lack of crowd.  Somebody said a lot of things were going on... 

[HUD]

I kind of thought we would be set for post players for next year but now I don't think so especially for the depth.  I agree that something must be up for Washington as we always heard good things how she was progressing but not to get any time in the game where we had several posts hobbling up and down the floor was strange.  We have one scholarship available now and maybe two in the near future.  An experienced transfer with a couple of years to play would maybe help.  We need at least 4 posts capable of contributing.

[Cazzie22]

Maybe Natalie Romeo will be the point guard next year.  I would take a team full of players like her.  Loved her answers in the press conference after Northern Iowa.  Cincore is also an impressive young lady.  Best wishes to this team.  It is fun to follow Lady Husker Basketball.

[redsteve]

Maybe Natalie Romeo will be the point guard next year.  I would take a team full of players like her.  Loved her answers in the press conference after Northern Iowa.  Cincore is also an impressive young lady.  Best wishes to this team.  It is fun to follow Lady Husker Basketball.

 

As said before, but Nat's just to valuable a scorer to have her running the point. When RT was at full strength. and making assists, Nat was on RT's radar. If we can get another similar (to RT), then Nat can do lots more scoring, and/or driving the other teams defense crazy. I think Connie has alluded to that too.

 

Cincore and Maddie are similar position wise. Both dynamic guards. Next year will probably be a lot different for them.

 

The number of Bigs seem troublesome going into the future. We lose Anya now, and only one more year for Allie.

If Washington leaves, we'll be in trouble soon in shear numbers. Don't get either, why she's seems to be in the dog house all the time.

 

Sure hope Burns will recover well. She's a great kid, and very valuable to the team's success. And...Jess too obviously. Heal up ladies !

There's that possibility floating around that Ostrander will come back. Would help for a year anyway.

 

Need at least one big in 2017 and 2018, if not a couple each year !

[Bugeaters1]

It will be interesting how things move forward.  As you know, that was a very disappointing loss.  They were 12/40 in 3s.  They got hot and made some clutch 3s when they had to... 

 

Rachel was in a lot of pain.  She said it was the most pain she ever played with (and she's played with pain for a long time).  From my "homer" perspective she showed a lot of guts to play through that much pain.  I saw her moving up and down the court pretty well. 

 

She's coming home for the break and will be getting worked on very soon.  We're very optimistic about getting the knees pain free.  We'll see.  I'll let you know. 

 

Don't know why Washington didn't play.  Rachel said Washington was the best post player in recent practices.  Maybe there is something else going on. 

 

I was surprised at the lack of crowd.  Somebody said a lot of things were going on... 

Will she have surgery in Kansas or Lincoln? Does the University have team surgeons?

[huskerchode]

Next year we will lose Allie and Esther (and Ostrander if she does come back).  And there might be the possibility of not having Washington.  So do we only look for posts in the 2017 class?

[Fastbreaker]

A few comments.

 

I think Alicia Ostrander is planning on playing next year.  Why else is she hanging with the team.  As stated previously, I asked her point blank a month or so ago. She answered maybe with a coy smile.

 

I think Darrian Washington stays.  She is best friends with Nat.   We said the same things about Ester a year ago, but she hung in there and got her chance this year.

 

Nat can play point guard just fine, but I feel she is to valuable to play there.   With Doyle coming in and having Jazz, Woody and Ester as guards who can play point I think we are covered there.

 

Being the optimist, I see Washington making a Allie leap next year, Allie continuing to improve, Jess healthly and a better understanding of her role and Burns healthy.  The posts are good to go.

 

Plus the new class,  Doyle, the Lindsey Moore clone, who I already mentioned.  Cayton, the T Laudermill quickness.  Whitish and Mitchell, the outside scoring threats and Eicely (SP)  the defensive stopper.

 

Can anyone tell me if Mitchell was in the house last night.  A couple with a tallish girl with them were doing a lot of conversing with Woody's parents.  With Woody being from Kansas, I was just wondering.    

     

[whoopdeedoo]

man, gotta love nat's passion. still believe one of the newcomers will have a great shot at pg. i would put my money on the staff is really hoping things can work out that way. 

 

this season appears to have taken its toll on everyone-------from the top on down, including fans. i thought even coach yori looked rather worn down in the interview. psssst....don't tell her i said that! 

 

will be interesting to find out what the staff still might be looking at---took coach yori's comment as a hint they might be researching something. guess i was thinking schollies were filled. unless, they are not counting on ostrander. like the article i posted earlier mentioned, awful tough injury to come back from. 

 

wishing burns the best in the upcoming weeks, or months. speedy recovery!!!

 

get healthy everyone! it's gotta get better!   

[Norm Peterson]

Darrien Washington played fewer than 40 minutes on the season.  In what few minutes she played, she was able to grab a rebound about every other minute and shot better than 50% from the field.  She also turned the ball over at twice the rate of the rest of the team.

 

I don't have any inside knowledge, but I'd have to imagine if she's not playing, Connie wants the scholarship back and will suggest she find a different place to finish her career.  Forty minutes on the season in 10 games for someone in her second season on the team, and not seeing playing time at the end of the season when other post players are hobbled with injuries and not quite able to go full speed if at all, well ...

 

Adding 2 + 2 + 2, it just doesn't bode well for Darrien's longevity with the program.  Just sayin'.

[mwm89]

Darrien Washington played fewer than 40 minutes on the season.  In what few minutes she played, she was able to grab a rebound about every other minute and shot better than 50% from the field.  She also turned the ball over at twice the rate of the rest of the team.

 

I don't have any inside knowledge, but I'd have to imagine if she's not playing, Connie wants the scholarship back and will suggest she find a different place to finish her career.  Forty minutes on the season in 10 games for someone in her second season on the team, and not seeing playing time at the end of the season when other post players are hobbled with injuries and not quite able to go full speed if at all, well ...

 

Adding 2 + 2 + 2, it just doesn't bode well for Darrien's longevity with the program.  Just sayin'.

Can't argue with that take, Norm.  Wonder if she wants to fill that scholly this year or next.

[dlrrk]

Regarding #43:  The procedure will be in Lincoln by a doc associated with the University.  We met the surgeon's colleague, a University doc/surgeon, after a game in January.  He was very impressive and very optimistic about resolving Rachel's chronic patella tendonopathy.  It's out-patient, and it's set for 29 March.  We'll see how it goes. 

[mwm89]

Regarding #43:  The procedure will be in Lincoln by a doc associated with the University.  We met the surgeon's colleague, a University doc/surgeon, after a game in January.  He was very impressive and very optimistic about resolving Rachel's chronic patella tendonopathy.  It's out-patient, and it's set for 29 March.  We'll see how it goes. 

Thanks much for the update.  We wish her the best!

[HUD]

If Ostrander returns on scholarship then the only opening would be if some one (Washington) left.  Either she fits in as a good reserve next year or we will need to get a decent transfer to fill that role.